Orange Thunder 30 vs Dual Terror.

[yossarian_lives]

Hi guys,

Here's my situation - my main amp for the last few years has been a tiny terror with an orange 1x12 cab. I love the thing - hands down, the best money I've ever spent on music gear. Used it on a few gigs (just small stuff in pubs) and it held up OK, but have really had to crank it on occasion. Also, find the single channel a bit limited - I'm doing some stuff with another band and have actually been using a Fender Superchamp XD as I need to play some clean stuff and the TT just doesn't stay clean enough at practice/gig volumes.

So I'm looking to step up to a bigger amp with more headroom and perhaps two channels. I love my TT so I want something similar - the dual terror sounds like the natural choice, right? Ah, but then those orange guys brought out the Thunder 30 combo, which looks frickin' awesome too, and is really good value (in my opinion). I could either sell my TT and buy a dual terror (keeping the cab I've got) OR sell both my head and cab and get the TH30 combo. Unfortunately keeping my TT and getting a new one is not really an option. (

Any views? The Dual terror doesn't have a 'clean' channel as such, right? Will the Thunder 30 sound sufficiently like my TT so that I won't miss it too much? I'm guessing it'll have that 'orange' sound. Anyone own one or the other?

Thanks guys...

 

[onioner]

I can help you with half of that. The DT definitely does not have a 'clean' voicing. It pretty much can do what your TT can do, only louder. I do like the DT more, and consider it the better value, but it's basically a bigger, better TT.

Can't speak to the Thunder 30 though.

 

[JBLesPaul107]

TH30 has a great clean channel... load as hell too.. picked a up my TH30 this weekend... love it... the dirty channel will do anything from classic rock to modern metal. I have the shape and gain at about noon... nails AC/DC... I need to start a NAD thread

 

[Lampens]

Sounds pretty cool in this vid.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Akwf5sLk-o]YouTube - ‪Orange Thunder 30 TH30 Head‬‏[/ame]
I am wondering about one myself. They are not that expensive. My 50 wat marshall is single channel and hard to get a clean sound out. But it's switchable to 25 watts and that comes in handy. This one is also downswitchable to 15 or 7,5. But i'm not sure if I'll miss the el34 roar and bass of the marshall. The two channles and what looks to be a decent clean too.

 

[HOT-BRIT]

Give them both a test run and see what works best for you

 

[sshirley]

that demo sure looks great.

 

[notoperational]

Thunder 30 is a killer amp, and it definitely has much more clean headroom than the D/T. Which isn't a bad amp either, but generally speaking the Thunder has better sounds.

Plus, overdriving the clean channel on the Thunder sounds ridiculously awesome... Cut the power down, crank it up and put a boost pedal in front of it and you are into some seriously awesome territory.

 

[eaglewolf]

brettk7 (or anyone else who can answer the question),

If I remember correctly I think you had some experience with the Rockerverb. I ran across a Rockerverb 50 the other day with 4 6V6 tubes in it. Looking at Orange's website the RVII has 2 EL34's. I assume you have heard both versions - what is your opinion of each and how do they compare to the TH30 (which might be comparing apples and, uh oranges given their price differences.) That video of the TH30 above sounded awesome, and the price is reasonable for an Orange.

Sorry for the sidetrack, but I thought the price on the used RV50 was pretty good - about the same as the new TH30.

David

 

[yossarian_lives]

Thanks for all the input guys. Am still not sure - but am leaning towards the Thunder 30.

 

[tolm]

From what I've seen and read, the Thunder 30 gets my vote but I'd say go for the head and a 2x12 cab.

 

[tolm]

You could also use the head with your existing 1x12 cab for home use / smaller gigs.

Not a fan of the new Orange combo design at all - much prefer the old 'top loader' layout.

 

[yossarian_lives]

Just bitten down and ordered the Thunder 30 combo - played one in a store the other day and was literally blown away by how good it sounded. The clean channel is far from being a sparkling Fender-style clean, but still seems to have plenty of headroom. The other thing I was worried about was the lack of EQ on the dirty channel - it just has that slightly weird 'shape' control. However, in practice, the shape control is awesome - goes from real vintage-sounding to scooped metal-mayhem at the twist of a knob - fantastic. Very sensitive control actually.

Anyway, will let you all know when it arrives of course. Can't wait!!

 

[prsnstrat]

Just bitten down and ordered the Thunder 30 combo - played one in a store the other day and was literally blown away by how good it sounded. The clean channel is far from being a sparkling Fender-style clean, but still seems to have plenty of headroom. The other thing I was worried about was the lack of EQ on the dirty channel - it just has that slightly weird 'shape' control. However, in practice, the shape control is awesome - goes from real vintage-sounding to scooped metal-mayhem at the twist of a knob - fantastic. Very sensitive control actually.

Anyway, will let you all know when it arrives of course. Can't wait!!

Thanks -- looking forward to the toan report! Question: what made you get the combo over the head? I'm curious because I'm currently unsure.

 

[notoperational]

brettk7 (or anyone else who can answer the question),

If I remember correctly I think you had some experience with the Rockerverb. I ran across a Rockerverb 50 the other day with 4 6V6 tubes in it. Looking at Orange's website the RVII has 2 EL34's. I assume you have heard both versions - what is your opinion of each and how do they compare to the TH30 (which might be comparing apples and, uh oranges given their price differences.) That video of the TH30 above sounded awesome, and the price is reasonable for an Orange.

Sorry for the sidetrack, but I thought the price on the used RV50 was pretty good - about the same as the new TH30.

David

Yes, I used to own an MKI Rockerverb 50 and it was a great amp. One of my favorite amps that I have ever owned (greatly prefered it over the Bogner Shiva that I stupidly replaced it with). The differences between the two are pretty drastic honestly. And I do think the MKII is a good upgrade over the original, in the sense that the EQ on the clean channel has a three-band EQ instead of just a two-band, the effects loop actually works really well, and the reverb is a bit different (still stupendously spacious, which I like).

Honestly though, I am kind of torn whether or not if I prefer the 6V6 version or the EL34 version. Both are great amps, IMHO. The 6V6 version believe it or not is a bit darker and more "Orange" sounding to me than the newer one, which is a bit more modern and aggressive in a sense. The newer version isn't far off from the older though, but that is my take on it.


Used MKI Rockerverbs are an AWESOME value if you can find one for around a grand or so. I used mine extensively and never had any problems. Always sounded great at club volumes and in my bedroom too (crazy to think I had this when I was living with my parents still LOL... Then again, maybe not!).

 

[jimmyohio75]

I actually sold my TH30 in order to get a Dual Terror. I am not disappointed. The Dual Terror (IMO) has a bit more punch and thickness to it. I liked the TH30 but it seemed to have a tendency to get fizzy whereas the Dual Terror remains thick and chunky. I could have been happy with both amps but the Dual Terror does my bands original music better than the TH30. Lovin' the Dual Terror so far! Orange amps are awesome!

 

[LesPaul23]

I picked up a thunder 30 a couple of days ago brand new. I have to say its a great amp... However past like 11 o'clock on the clean volume isn't really clean anymore. It just gets more and more gritty. But it's definitely a good grit! In fact I'd call it the 'orange' grit! And the overdrive channel just seems to have endless gain if your into that. But when the tubes die I'm going too look at some better ones. I don't think the stock ones are the best...

Apart from that, solid as hell build quality, great speaker, and a real orange growl.

But nothing beats trying it for yourself!